The Princess Chronicles
by sarafu-chan
Summary: [SasuSaku. AU] Because of a promise between their grandfathers, feisty scholar student Sakura gets engaged with coldhearted prince Sasuke. A dream come true? Not! The problem? They hate each other's guts!
1. Prologue

**40 years ago, in the Kingdom of Konoha in Fire Country…**

"Your Highness, he is here."

A smile from a bearded man.

"Good. Tell him to come now."

Silence... And then the sound of footsteps. Another man, this time with unusually pink hair, enters, smiling too.

"Could you please leave us alone?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Sounds of fading footsteps.

Uchiha Yasuke, the current king of the Kingdom of Konoha then embraced his bestfriend, Haruno Saburo, and laughed cheerfully.

"It's been such a long time, old friend." Haruno Saburo, a man in his mid-30s said, grinning widely while pouring a bottle of sake.

"Haha, you're right," Yasuke agreed, drinking the sake with his friend. "Ever since I became busy with the kingdom, things got a little… hectic? Heh!" He snorted noisily. "Such a shame none of us didn't give birth to a girl."

"Yes, yes. Shame indeed." Saburo nodded.

"If I had a daughter, I would make her marry your son!" stated King Yasuke.

"And if I had a daughter, I would also make her marry your son!" proclaimed Saburo.

The two exchanged looks. And then sighed. And then drank another cup of sake.

"Well, all I've got are my two sons. I love them dearly though." Yasuke said.

"My wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and I am mighty proud of him!" Saburo huffed his chest.

Another exchanging of looks.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, old friend?" asked Saburo.

"Why yes." Saburo snickered. "As they say, great minds think alike. And I'm thinking…"

"…that if our offsprings can't marry each other today…"

"…then in the next generation, their sons and daughters…"

"…would marry each other!"

More silence.

And then the sound of merrymaking.

* * *

The Princess Chronicles

_SasuSaku. AU Because of a promise between their grandfathers, ordinary scholar student Sakura gets engaged with coldhearted prince Sasuke. A dream come true? Not! The problem? They hate each other's guts!_

A gift for all SasuSaku fans. Keep on rocking!

A gift in advance for Sasuke-kun, whose birthday is on July 23.

A gift for everyone who read and reviewed my other fics. Thank you and I really appreciate all your kind reviews!

A gift for all Filipinos out there. Mabuhay!

A gift for YOU.

And on with the story!

* * *

**18 years ago…**

"AAAGH!"

Uchiha Fugaku, the 2nd son of Uchiha Yasuke, rushed in to see what's happening. He turned to the cowering palace maids "What is the matter? Did something ha- Oh my God!"

There lay the dead bodies of the current king and queen

The palace room of the king and queen was stained in blood. The stench of blood filled the whole place. The tapestries were torn and things were all over the place. And there, at the middle of the room, were the lifeless corpses of the king and queen of Konoha, along with the body of an impaled giant ninetailed-fox.

"N-No… This can't be…" Uchiha Fugaku stepped into the bloody room, horrified at the images. "The Kyuubi… It was supposed to attack at the next full moon. Why now?" He fell to his knees, unable to take it anymore. "My dear brother… I'm so sorry…"

"Waaagh! Waaagh!"

Fugaku looked around, hearing the cry of a baby. Suddenly, it dawned on him. "Naruto-kun."

He stood up and approached the body of the queen. His heart jumped when he saw her, still cradling Naruto in her arms, and in a position wherein she had been fatally wounded while Naruto was unharmed.

Pity took over Fugaku, knowing that the child would grow up without knowing a father or a mother.

"Waagh!"

"Hush, dear baby," Fugaku gently took Naruto into his arms. "Everything will be alright, you'll see."

* * *

**15 years ago…**

"Mommy, why are you crying?" asked a little girl holding a teddy bear. She had pink hair and wide, green eyes.

Haruno Azusa looked up, now aware of the presence of her 3-year old child. "W-What?"

"Mommy, you're crying." Sakura stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

_Sometimes Sakura-chan would not act like a 3-year old,_ thought Azusa, wiping her tears with the hem of her skirt. "No, no. Sakura-chan. I just had some dust in my eyes. But I'm all better now." She forced a smile. "See?"

"I'm glad then!" Sakura ran to her mother and hugged her. "I love you Mommy!"

"I love you too, sweetie." Whispered Azusa as she stroked her daughter's hair.

* * *

**10 years ago…**

"That is the decision of the council."

"Please understand, Yashiro-san!" Fugaku begged, bowing respectfully. "Naruto-kun needs us. He's got the royal blood flowing within him. After I die, it should be him who would be king. After all, he is the rightful heir!"

"I understand how you feel about your nephew, Fugaku-san. And while I am touched with the kindness and concern you are showing for Naruto, the rules say that if his parents are deceased then he has no right to live in the palace." Yashiro proclaimed, pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.

"If Naruto were above the age of 16 at the time of the incident, then he could still claim his throne as the rightful heir." said another elder.

"But if he'll be kicked out of the palace, where shall he live?" politely inquired Mikoto.

"Fear not, for we have already arranged that." Yashiro snapped his fingers as a young man appeared. "This is Umino Iruka. He shall be Naruto's caretaker until he turns of ripe age."

"I am pleased to serve the Kingdom of Konoha." Iruka then bowed as a sign of respect.

"Naruto would leave the palace tomorrow. Kindly tell the maids to start packing Naruto's things. Meeting adjourned."

* * *

**Two months later…**

Uchiha Itachi's room was empty.

"He's gone now, isn't he?" Uchiha Mikoto murmured. There was no sadness in her voice, but rather, only understanding. "I told you that he'll rebel. It'll only be a matter of time. And look what happened. You were being so strict on him and-"

"How can he rule the kingdom when all he does is skip his classes?" Fugaku stated harshly, banging the entrance door.

"But he's got a good reason! He's a genius, one of a kind! Maybe he was just bored with his lessons." Mikoto defended, making Fugaku laugh mockingly.

"Oh, he's bored then? That is no excuse!" Fugaku barked at his wife. "Without any effort then his brains and talent would be lodged useless! Have you ever thought of that?"

Mikoto remained silent, knowing that what her husband said was true.

"It's all up to Sasuke now." Fugaku said. "I just hope that he won't follow in his brother's footsteps."

Unbeknownst to the royal couple, an 8-year old Uchiha Sasuke was hiding somewhere, listening to their conversation.

* * *

**9 years ago…**

9-year old Sakura stared at the coffin of her father, crying.

"I don't want Daddy to leave me!" She cried, trying to jump inside the hole where her father's coffin shall be buried. "Let go of me! I want to see my Daddy!"

"No, Sakura, no!" Her mother was trying her best to restrain her daughter. "Sakura, listen to Mommy!"

"You're not my Mommy!" shot back Sakura, glaring at the woman fiercely.

Everyone attending the funeral froze. All of them knew that when Sakura's mother died after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Sakura's father remarried another woman.

"Sakura, honey, please calm down…" Her stepmother sweetly asked.

"Stop that!" Sakura covered her ears. "I hate it when you act like my mother when around with other people! I hate it when if my Daddy's still not home, you'll spank me and spank me until I cry. I hate it when you always compare me with Ichigo, calling her beautiful and bright while I'm ugly and stupid! I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!"

"ENOUGH!" Sakura's stepmother slapped Sakura hard on the face, her anger about the child's revelation taking over her.

Sakura fell down the ground, still crying. Murmurs filled the whole place.

* * *

**7 years ago…**

Hinata bit her lip, staring at the floor.

"You are a disgrace to the Hyuuga family, Hinata." Hiashi uttered softly. However, the severity and harshness was clearly imprinted in his voice. "The party we prepared was just for you. A lot of time and money was put into it. And yet, where were you?"

"At school, F-Father." Answered Hinata meekly.

"Yes, seeking education before fame is a noble thing." Hiashi said. "But what were you doing in school?"

"I-I was… taking a special quiz…"she admitted with a visible wince.

"Go on." The frown on Hiashi's face was getting more and more noticeable.

"I-I fainted because I suddenly became dizzy and then… a-and then… I was rushed into the clinic where I spent 4 hours." Hinata bit her lip again. "I took the exam again and…"

"Did you pass?"

"…No, F-Father."

"Then that just proves what kind of daughter you are, Hinata." Hiashi concluded. "You are irresponsible and dull. You shouldn't make your weak heart a reason why you're a failure in life."

"I-I'm sorry F-Father…" Hinata bowed her head, apologizing.

"Don't call me your Father."

Hinata looked up, surprised.

"I only have one daughter, and that is Hyuuga Hanabi." With that, he turned around and walked away.

* * *

**The day of Haruno Sakura's 18th birthday…**

"Today is the day, Fugaku."

"Yes. So it is."

"It's the girl's 18th birthday today, right?"

"Yes."

"It was stated in Father's will clearly. That our son should get engaged with the girl from the Haruno family."

"It was Father's last request. It should be done."

"What do you think would the girl be like?"

"… I don't know."

"And how do you think would Sasuke-kun react?"

"Knowing him, he won't take it very well."

The King and Queen nodded, agreeing with each other.

* * *

**A/N:**

Woohoo! I'm done! –dances to the tune of Don Romantiko-

About the Naruto part of the prologue, don't fret if you think this is going to be a NaruSaku. I admit, there will be some NaruSaku and SasuHina, but that would only be for plot purposes. Also, Naruto's past will play a very important role in the future.

Secondary pairings are ShikaIno and NejiTen (the bomb!). Actually, NejiTen is what I'm looking forward to write, along with SasuSaku.

There are a lot of differences in this story when compared to the canon. Here are a few: Itachi leaving to join Akatsuki gang instead of killing his clan, Kyuubi a sort of demonic fox that appears every 150 years to prey on those with royal blood, Naruto having Uchiha blood (and Sasuke's cousin no less!) and so much more.

By the way, in case you haven't noticed, this was based on Goong. I only watched an episode so don't worry because this won't be a clone of Goong.

I know I might sound shallow or super vain this way but I'm really asking you to review. If I get enough reviews, then I'll continue the story. If not, then I won't update this one anymore. Sorry, but with school being hell and me having a lot of extracurricular activities, I can't afford wasting my precious time writing something people don't like. Sadness. Hope you guys understand!


	2. Beginning of Royal Trouble

"Mou!"

A beautiful girl with silky pink hair and bright emerald-colored eyes ran hurriedly, covering herself with her backpack when she felt the first drop of rain patter softy on her brow. She looked up as they ran down her face in slim, shimmering streaks. She could see the skies darkening and the last rays of sunlight fast vanishing.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" She cursed to herself when the light drizzle became heavy rainfall, drenching the poor girl. She stopped, pausing for breath and her eyes lit up when she saw the place of her destination. Feeling renewed, she ran as fast as her legs can take her to get to that place.

Haruno Sakura smiled and then quickly frowned when she saw her soaked appearance in the hallway mirror of Konoha Daigaku.

"This day is the worst!" cried out Sakura, getting a towel from her backpack to dry herself up. "It's my birthday today and everything is supposed to be going right for me this day but look at what happens! I wake up late, gets bombarded with a lot of chores from Auntie and now this! What the heck did I do to deserve this?" She then sighed miserably.

(Oh! I almost forgot my manners! I'm Haruno Sakura, now 18 years old! My birthday is on March 28. I'm not the one to brag but I'm a constant honor student. I'm a scholar student here in Konoha Daigaku who is majoring in Psychology. I really hate it when people make fun of me, especially if they make my forehead the target of their silly jokes. Uhm, what else? Oh yeah! I'm good at cooking too!)

"I look pathetic. Stupid rain!" complained Sakura as she entered the girl's CR.

"Oh my gosh Sakura! What happened?" Yamanaka Ino cried out when she saw her bestfriend. "You look awful!"

"Geez, don't you think I know that?" mumbled an irate Sakura for a reply, shuffling her feet to go to the changing room.

The blonde smiled. "Don't sweat it, Forehead Girl! I've got some extra clothes here. Made from the finest fabric nonetheless! Aren't you thankful that you have such a girl scout bestfriend and pretty guardian angel like me?"

"Haha!" Sakura laughed at her bestfriend. "Thanks Ino! You always know how to make me feel good!

(I'm the beautiful blonde diva of Konoha, Yamanaka Ino! I was born on September 23 and I'm a Virgo. My family owns a flower shop and sometimes I help there. Someday, I'll marry the crowned prince Sasuke so you better remember my name!)

The two girls walked towards the room where they will have their first class. Luckily, the two's schedules are almost the same so they can talk to each other more often. But talking with Ino means more insults about her wide forehead and of course, the never-ending ramblings of Ino about her childhood fantasy: Prince Uchiha Sasuke.

"And can you believe what that unreliable magazine stated? It said that Sasuke proposed to a girl from a wealthy clan in Konoha last week!" exclaimed Ino furiously. "They shouldn't make up tall tales like that! It will affect the image of my Sasuke-kun!"

"Well, it does sound unlikely," thought Sakura, tapping her chin. "I mean, Prince Sasuke, stony below-zero ice-cold Prince of Konoha, lowering himself and _actually_ proposing? Whoever knew?"

"A lot of people."

The two turned around and saw the owner of the voice, the genius prodigy of Konoha and Sakura's fellow scholarship-granted classmate Nara Shikamaru and his bestfriend, Akimichi Chouji, the heir of the famous Akacho Restaurant.

"Excuse me?" Ino raised an eyebrow which in her language would be "explain to me what you meant by that or no more cloud-watching days for you!" Or something along those lines.

"Prince Sasuke _did_ propose," Shikamaru elaborated. "and a lot of people actually were expecting that to happen already, since he and Hinata-san are really close."

"Hinata?" The two chorused, gasping.

"She's the one." Chouji helpfully affirmed, munching on his chips innocently, unaware of Ino's face paling dramatically.

"Wait, when you said Hinata-san, were you by any chance referring to the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan? The one who was supposed to have just had a heart operation last year?" Sakura asked, ignoring Ino's over-exaggerated drama in the background, which consists of fake fainting and cries of "Why Sasuke-kun? Why?"

"That's her all right." nodded Shikamaru.

(Nara Shikamaru. People call me a genius because I have 200 IQ but I don't really care. I'm too lazy to think of any more introductions for myself so there. Besides, it's too troublesome.)

"But sadly, it seems as if Hinata-san didn't accept Prince Sasuke's proposal." Chouji said as he finished his bag of potato chips.

(Akimichi Chouji! I like eating good food, especially chips, Korean barbecue, and sweets. If it's edible, I like it. I won't let anyone call me fat because I'm not really fat. I'm just big-boned and pleasantly plump. Pleasantly plump people unite!)

"Whaaat!" Ino's voice echoed throughout the whole university campus. "Is that Hinata girl _mad_? Declining Sasuke-kun's marriage proposal is way, way, WAY worse than not accepting Calvin Klein to dress you up!"

"Uh-huh." Sakura agreed half-mockingly.

"Shika-kun! You're Sasuke-kun's academic tutor! Please tell me that what Chouji said isn't true!"

"It's true." Deadpanned her childhood friend as a wind blew over Ino tragically.

Sakura shot Ino an exasperated look. "Look Ino, you're my bestfriend and all but don't you think that you're getting kinda obsessed with Prince Sasuke? He's not the only guy out there."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes as Chouji opened another pack of chips.

"He's just not some guy! He's crown Prince Sasuke!" Ino defended, her eyes flaming. "Heck, he's even hotter than all of Fujikaze Yukie's leading men combined!"

An eruption of "hell yeahs!" filled the campus, much to everyone's surprise.

"What are you talking about? The guy who played Suke Akurou, Mitch, is better looking that that Sasuke of yours!'" Sakura said. **_Grr… Stop being in denial, girl! Admit sexiness when it's shoved right into your face! _**

Ino huffed, pouting. "That's a lie! Besides, Sasuke is so mysterious and strong. Haven't you heard that he's learning self-defense under the tutelage of the famous Hatake Kakashi?"

"So?" Sakura crossed her arms, scowling. "I certainly wouldn't be proud if some guy who wears a freaky mask 24/7 and publicly reads R-rated novels teaches me martial arts." **_Gaaagh! Sasuke-kun is an all-around guy! Strong men are major turn-ons!_**

"Well, he's every girl's dream boy! He's tall, dark and handsome!" Ino said because she can't think of anything else to say anymore.

"Tall, dark and handsome my foot!" scoffed Sakura, further irritating Ino. **_Every woman's fantasy! Sasuke-kun is so hot! Stop trying to be blind Sakura! Shannaro!_**

For a moment, a dark aura seemed to engulf Ino, making Sakura, Shikamaru and Chouji sweatdrop. Flames appeared as Ino began to… laugh.

"Haha!" Ino was laughing quite strangely, disturbing the peace and quite of Konoha Daigaku.

"W-Why are you laughing?" asked Sakura hesitantly.

"I'm laughing because I'm glad! Because you seem to really hate Sasuke-kun, that means that I won't have to worry about another competition!" Ino replied, making Shikamaru sigh in awe of her logic in the background.

The pink-haired girl smiled slightly. "But you are aware that there are loads of girls vying for the Prince's affections right?"

"Of course!" Ino replied briskly. "I'll just have to be Sasuke-kun's No. 1"

"Geez, you haven't even met the guy." Shikamaru muttered in exasperation.

* * *

"No."

A man with unusual silver hair and a mask covering half of his face laughed lightly. "Sasuke, why do you insist on not going to study in Konoha Daigaku?"

(Yo! Hatake Kakashi here. I'm most famous in Konoha and other neighboring countries for my skill in martial arts, even though my specialty is fencing. I'm Sasuke's personal teacher. Other things you may want to know about me are none of your business.)

A scowl from the handsome face of a raven-haired young man. "Kakashi, don't start with me." He warned.

(I'm the Prince of Konoha, Crowned Prince Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like a lot of things. I like fighting and sparring with strong people, like Hyuuga Neji and Rock Lee and as much as I hate to admit it, my teacher Kakashi.)

The two were inside a limousine and are on their way to Konoha Daigaku. Sasuke's father and mother AKA the King and Queen of Konoha, ordered Sasuke to attend the said University so that he can develop his social skills, which he is unfortunately lacking.

One of the rules of being a prince is being sociable, friendly and courteous to people.

And Sasuke is sociable, friendly and courteous, _how_?

"Sasuke, stop being a meanie. It's what your mother and father wants for you. Besides, it might be fun." A mischievous twinkle appeared on Kakashi's visible left eye. "Those fangirls of yours would sure cause a riot just to lay a hand on you."

"Didn't I tell you to stop reading that damned Icha Icha Paradise of yours?" Sasuke stated, eyeing the offending book sitting on Kakashi's lap in disgust.

"Hmm, I wonder how much money I might get if I sell a used towel still fresh with your sweat on EBay?" wondered Kakashi, irritating the already irritated prince of Konoha.

"How the heck did you convince my father to become my teacher anyway?" grumbled Sasuke as he pushed a button and instantly, a tray of fresh tomatoes appeared before him.

"Because unlike you, I'm charismatic." cheekily answered Kakashi, the grin on his face cleverly hidden by his mask.

"Hn." Sasuke took a bite from his tomato.

"Hey, Sasuke." Kakashi's tone suddenly became serious. "You're still thinking about _that_, aren't you?"

Sasuke paused, eyes narrowing. He then replied, his tone as even as he could, "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I mean." Kakashi stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"What happened already happened." Sasuke looked at the window. "I respect her decision. I may be the prince, but I can't make her obey what I wish. She has a mind of her own."

"Sasuke, that was pretty deep." Kakashi commented, impressed. He took a closer look at Sasuke and asked, "Is that really you?"

The only reply he got was a scowl and a tomato flying towards his direction.

* * *

_We're the same, having to live up to our clan's expectations and deal with all of the pressure._

_Hinata, aren't you tired of that?_

_I know I am._

_But if we're together, we can handle it._

_Because… you mean so much to me…_

_And I love you._

_So if you feel the same way, will you marry me?_

"NOOOOO!"

Hyuuga Hinata shot out of bed, hyperventilating. She instinctively tightened her grip on the blankets. It took her a few minutes to realize that it was all a dream. A dream created by her guilty conscience.

The Hyuuga heiress couldn't help it if the dream felt quite real. She still couldn't believe it wasn't; the dream was too vivid, too realistic. But then again, her dream was only a replay of what happened a week ago.

It had been almost a week since that day when Prince Sasuke asked her to accompany him to dinner. She was glad to oblige, wanting to make her friend happy. What surprised her though was the elaborated design and grandness of the restaurant they went into. She knew that something wasn't right. All throughout the night, she felt unsettled even though she tried to hide it with her beautiful smiles.

Until he popped the question.

_So if you feel the same way, will you marry me?_

Hinata leaned on the wall, determined not to let her conscience eat her. It wasn't as if she didn't like Sasuke; Sasuke was- and still is- a dear friend of hers who would always be there for her. But love is such a strong word, and she couldn't imagine associating that word with the prince of Konoha.

**TOK! TOK!**

"W-Who is it?" asked Hinata.

"Hinata-sama, I am sorry for disturbing you but Hiashi-sama is asking you to come to his office immediately." A maid responded from behind the door.

The white-eyed girl glanced at her wall clock. "Oh my! 8:18 already?" She got out of bed and changed her clothes.

(My name is Hyuuga Hinata. Nice to meet you. I was born on December 27. I'm quite shy and withdrawn. I am the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, even if I don't know if I can contribute much to this clan. I have a weak heart and just had a heart operation last year.)

After washing her face, combing her hair and making sure that she has brushed her teeth, Hinata went to her father's office. Before she could get there, however, she bumped into her cousin.

"N-Neji-niisan!" Hinata said, bowing. "I am sorry. I didn't see you so…"

"No, I should be the one apologizing, Hinata-sama." The long brown-haired good-looking young man said. He bowed deeply.

(The name's Hyuuga Neji and I am Hinata-sama's cousin. I consider Prince Sasuke as my main rival when it comes to martial arts and politics. Unlike him, I maintain my calm in the face of difficulty. My favorite hobby is meditation.)

"Morning Hinata!" A girl greeted suddenly. She has dark brown hair which she wears in Chinese buns. "Oh and you too, Neji." She added when she saw the frowning Hyuuga male.

Hyuuga Neji groaned, simply nodding his head as a reply.

(My name is Tenten! I am a Pisces, making me energetic and kinda dreamy. I became Hinata's bodyguard because even though I don't look dangerous at all, I'm skilled in handling any kind of weapon. I'm called a tomboy but I don't mind it. I love getting my fortune told.)

Hinata gave another bow and turned to the two. "Excuse me, Neji-niisan, Tenten-chan. My father summoned me to his office. I hope you would understand."

"Of course Hinata-chan!" Tenten said, while her cousin remained stoic as usual.

As Hinata approached her father's office, she silently wondered why she had been called by her father. She didn't do anything wrong, did she? The beautiful heiress' eyes lowered as she thought of the possible reasons of why her father would want to talk to her- something rare nowadays since all of his father's attentions were solely on Hanabi, her younger sister.

"F-Father, I am here."

The office was majestic, and this type of working environment suited her father quite well. Hyuuga Hiashi nodded, acknowledging his daughter's presence. "Come in."

Hinata seated on a chair in front of her father's desk, quite nervous. "D-Do you want to talk to me?"

"Yes," Hiashi said. "It has something to do with the restoration of the power of our clan and it involves… Uchiha Sasuke."

Hinata's eyes widened.

* * *

"Sakura-CHAN!"

Haruno Sakura inwardly groaned. That customary greeting, the loud and obnoxious voice, the sounds of glasses breaking, the crowd of people distancing themselves away from her… Okay, so maybe the last two were all inside her head but she knows who the owner of the voice is.

"Naruto! Stop talking in such a loud voice so early in the morning!" Sakura reprimanded when a blonde and energetic-looking man appeared beside her.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" He apologized, though he was still grinning goofily. He crossed his arms behind his back. "But Sakura-chan, you do know that 10:00 is not so early right?"

"Gah, stop correcting me Naruto!" Sakura replied heatedly, bonking him on the head.

"Itai! Your punches really hurt, Sakura-chan!" complained the blonde, his hands over his head.

(Hehe! I am the great Uzumaki Naruto! I was born on October 10. I love playing pranks on people and my favorite food is ramen. Yeah! It's the most delicious food in the whole, wide universe! Someday, I'm gonna be a legendary Hokage hero so watch out for me in the near future!)

"Anyway, shouldn't you be in your next class now?" Sakura pointed out.

An exclamation mark appeared above Naruto's head. "Oh yeah! I forgot all about Humanities! Gee, thanks Sakura! See ya!" He then dashed towards the east side of Konoha Daigaku.

"Same old Naruto." Sakura smiled, shaking her head. "Oh, my next class is starting in 15 minutes! Ino might get mad at me if I don't arrive in time." She turned around and collided into something solid, making her drop her books. She was then thrown on the floor.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, you big oaf?" The pink-haired girl yelled in anger and irritation.

The man snarled. "Big… oaf…?" He repeated.

"Yeah, you big… Uhm…" Sakura trailed off when she turned to look at the guy. _Uh-oh…!_

* * *

**A/N:**

Dun dun dun! A cliffhanger! I've always wanted to make one of these!

Since this is an AU, a lot of the characters are OOC so please bear with me. Also, as you can see, Sasuke likes Hinata. But it's only on the first part so don't worry. Sakura-chan will turn the Ice Prince's world upside-down. Nyao!

**Special Thanks To: shir0-chan **(Haha, well, I don't know much about Goong too. Like I said, I only watched one episode. The series was funny and cute and I wanted this fic to be like that but I suck when it comes to humor so… yeah. And for being my first reviewer, you get a T-shirt that says "I Love SasuSaku!" Coolness!)**, Envy Me 5-6-7-3, .chie.x.sieka., Tsukiko no Yuki **(Oh, you can make your own story based on Goong too! I would love to read it! As for you and me having the same idea, I guess the saying "Great minds think alike" can be applied, ne? And thanks for the lengthy review. It's so touching to get such nice reviews.)**, Crazy Gal42 **(I'm sorry if I kinda confused you on the prologue. Hopefully, this chapter will be clearer for you.)**, Call Me - Broken Hearted , daydreamer53221 **(Yup, I got some good reviews so that's why I've updated it. Hopefully, I will have some time to write a Chapter 3.)**, BloodRuby, Poison's Ivy **(Yes, I love the title too! It's supposed to be Princess Hours w/c is the English translation of Goong but I changed my mind, wanting something that sounds new and cool.)**, Lyzz2nwn, Kairi Aerith, Miss Emi, ThisIsMyLifeToLive **(Princess Diaries, huh? I never thought of my fic as something like Princess Diaries but you just gave me an inspiration about the next chapter title of this story. And yes, this is a NaruHina too. Gosh, I love that pairing!)**, silver-jasmine**

Review people! I'm the review monster! I eat reviews for breakfast, lunch and dinner. RAWR! Hehe!


	3. Disastrous Birthday

"Grr… To hell with that self-absorbed bighead!"

Such were the words of the heroine as she viciously munched an innocent chocolate-chip cookie. She paused momentarily, drank some water and then groaned when she saw the empty pack of cookies.

Anything involving chocolate had always been her comfort food. Strangely though, she never gets any fatter. She just stays the same, no matter how much she eats.

She's the exact opposite of her stepsister, Watanabe Ami. Ami is pretty and popular, or so what she would like others to think. But anything she eats immediately goes to her hips. All the chocolates her _cough_blind_cough _suitors give her only end up in the refrigerator. Nobody really notices that Sakura, her stepsister and also her personal maid, steals some chocolates and eats it when nobody's looking.

But enough about that. Why is Sakura-chan so angry anyway? Does it involve the incident that happened last chapter? Do I need to even tell you the details? Why am I even making this long…?

♥♥♥♥♥

Well…

Sakura's mind froze, her mind blank. She gulped, trying to think up of the one hundred one reasons to escape this situation but now…

"O-Orochimaru-sensei…" Sakura bowed deeply, apologizing. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I didn't know… I thought…"

"Apology accepted, Miss Haruno." The snake-like professor said, dusting himself up. "But I would like it if you would be the one to watch where you are going, Miss Haruno. Just because you are one of the top students here doesn't mean that you're already the Queen of Konoha Daigaku."

Sakura fought the urge to snap and say something to defend herself but she just bit her lip. "S-Sir… It's not like that..."

"Oh, I am quite sure, it's like that." The professor smirked evilly, his yellow eyes piercing right through Sakura. "Your forehead's not big, little girl; it's your head."

**_What the…! I'm gonna kill you, you Michael Jackson wannabe! I'll pummel you and I'll give you the beating of a lifetime! Shannaro! _**Inner Sakura was saying, while Sakura only stood there, balling her hands into fists.

"Well I'll be going now, Miss Haruno." Orochimaru suddenly said, smiling (-**_ick! Smiling? Get real!) _**at the stunned girl. With that, he left and then mysteriously vanished. (Well, he really didn't vanish. He just turned around the alley and was then out of sight!)

"Beh!" She stuck her tongue out when the professor was already gone. "Moron."

Orochimaru had been teaching in Konoha Daigaku for almost ten years now. He is supposed to be one of the best professors in the country, being one of the students of the late Hokage hero. With this in mind, it is highly possible that he's also adept in martial arts. Besides that, he's also some kind of mad scientist, facilitating all kinds of weird experiments and rumors even have it that he uses live humans.

Yep, you've got that right. _Human experiments_. (Creepy, no?)

Sakura never liked the snake-like professor anyway. She sees him as some kind of weirdo. Also, Orochimaru seems to dislike Sakura, always giving her the hard assignments and project whenever the opportunity arises.

♥♥♥♥♥

There was a huge crowd, and much whispering and talking going around when Sakura entered the classroom. (In which, her Inner Self would like to think, **_What the hell?_**)

Still carrying a pail of water and her art materials (how painting could be related to Humanities, she has no clue), she cautiously stepped towards the crowd.

"Hey, let me take a look!"

"He's so hoooot!"

"Is it really true? He's here?"

"I can't breathe!"

"Where's my digital camera?"

Suddenly, the circle was split into two and the group formed two straight lines, allowing Sakura to get a clearer look. She blinked, and saw that a handsome young man with raven hair and onyx orbs was in the middle, hands in his pockets. He seemed to look annoyed for some unexplained reason and has his hands in his pockets. Looking at him like this, Sakura thought, he bears an uncanny resemblance to…

… Prince Uchiha Sasuke…!

Where's Ino? She thought, as she searched for her blonde-haired bestfriend. No sign of her.

She should get an autograph and give it to her bestfriend! Ino-chan would surely appreciate it!

**_Ohoho…_** Sakura groaned. It was the voice off her pesky, annoying self again. **_Why should you worry about Ino? You could have him all to yourself if you want to…_**

So busy was Sakura debating with her Inner Self in fact, that she didn't notice Prince Sasuke, His Supreme Snobbishness, bump into her, making her fall again flat on her back for the 2nd time that day. (Man, isn't this turning out to be a habit?)

Meanwhile, Sasuke just wanted to have some "Me, Myself and I" time in which he would be free of all those fangirls, fangays and other people who just want to stare at his awesome, awesome self. Sasuke was trying to get away from them and was approaching the exit door when he saw this weird pink-haired nerd (dark-framed glasses, oversized shirt, a bucket of water…) staring at him. Thinking that she would just get out of the way to give some space for him, Uchiha Sasuke confidently strode past her and collided with her, making the two of them fall on the ground.

And Sakura's art materials…

… Are now making Sasuke's clean shirt their canvas.

The fangirls gasped! How dare the resident university nerd with her inferiority and second-rate looks and talents humiliate the God of All Things Handsome and Cool! She must die a horrible and painful death. **Persecution**! was the word all inside their minds.

Sakura regained her senses. "I… I'm sorry! But you should've looked at where you were-"

"You… You loathsome peasant! Look at what you have done!" Sasuke hissed when he stood up, blanching at the discomfiture of it all. He knew it. He shouldn't have listened to his perverted sensei Kakashi. He should've defied his mother and father. (Which means defying the will of the two most powerful figures in Konoha.)

"Excuse me?" Sakura also stood up, dusting herself up before putting a hand on her hips. "You were the one who bumped into me, Your Highness!" She said the last two words with disgust.

"Do you know how much these clothes are worth? I bet you can't even buy something like this even if you collect all your monthly allowance." Taunted Prince Sasuke calmly, glaring at Sakura for special effect.

"No, but I do know that if you don't stop bullying me, your face might as well be just like that shirt you're wearing!" Sakura retaliated, pointing at the once-clean shirt that is now full of the murkiest colors ever possible.

"What. Did. You. SAY?"

The crowd watched in amazement. Is this really Sakura the Geek™, Sakura the Teacher's Pet™, Sakura the Shadow of Glamour Girl Ino™ they were seeing? She's fighting back at the Prince! This must be the other side of Sakura, the Sakura Bitch™ personality!

Now Sakura was really irritated, she isn't normally **_this_** aggressive, but well… With Mr. Black Cat the Bad Luck on the day where she is supposed to be dancing and celebrating and being jolly and all, she is now really irritated.

(Add to that the fact that it's her time of the month and you get a recipe for a walking time-bomb ready to explode at any second.)

(Too bad she exploded right in front of Prince Sasuke.)

"Settle down people!" A booming voice from the doorway suddenly was heard and immediately, they saw their Humanities professor, Professor Yuuhi Kurenai, gazing at them impassively with her arms folded over her chest.

They all returned to their seats, occasionally stealing a few glances at Sasuke and Sakura.

"Well?" Kurenai looked at the two, still giving each other the most menacing looks they can direct. "Go back to your seats already. I haven't got all day."

The two didn't seem to appear to hear her.

"**A-HEM**!" Kurenai quickly used a megaphone (that is no doubt borrowed from Professor Gai) to make her voice louder. "Haruno Sakura, just because you are this university's top student of the moment doesn't mean that you get special privileges! The same goes for you, Prince Uchiha Sasuke. In this school, you are just an ordinary student and you will not automatically graduate in Konoha Daigaku just because you are the next King." She stopped, waiting for the two's reactions. "Is everything clear?"

"Yes…" They mumbled.

"Good." Nodded Kurenai. She should really put up a "No Glaring" sign inside the classroom. These college brats. Sometimes, they would act like highschool students all over again.

♥♥♥♥♥

Hinata kept her gaze at the carps swimming peacefully at the fish pond in the Hyuuga Garden. Her lashes drooped over her lavender orbs as she circled around the body of water calmly, her eyes still fixated on the aquatic creatures.

"Hinata-sama…"

The said girl turned around in recognition of the voice and saw the person who called her. She smiled slightly. "Tenten-chan."

Tenten returned the smile and turned to where the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan was staring. "_Koi_-gazing again, Hinata-sama? You've been doing this a lot lately. What's your problem anyway?"

Hinata couldn't help but blink in bewilderment at her bodyguard's observation skills. "H-How did you know that?" And in usual Hinata fashion, she flushed a deep red and twiddled her fingers.

"Because I have known you since forever!" Tenten laughed nervously, making Hinata awkwardly blush (again).

"A-Ah… T-Tenten… You're such a nice friend. I really appreciate it that you became my bodyguard. Sometimes I think that I'm not worthy enough to be protected by you and Neji-niisan." She admitted sadly with a slight wince.

Tenten only bent low to examine the fish that had risen to greet her. "Hinata-sama, don't say that. We've been through this. Stop thinking negative. Just because Hiashi-sama-"

"He wants me to seduce Sasuke and make me his Queen!" blurted out Hinata. Realizing what she had done, she immediately placed a hand on her disloyal mouth.

"Hinata-sama…" Tenten looked at her friend and master gravely. She knows all about Hinata's strained relationship with Prince Sasuke these days and the way her father and the other Main Members view her. Feeling sorry for the poor girl, she went up to her and pulled her up in a gentle embrace. "Hinata-sama, it's okay…"

"T-Tenten…!" Hinata cried out, tears dripping down her face.

♥♥♥♥♥

"Oh… What have I done?" Sakura sighed for the nth time that day. Just as that thought entered her mind, a small group of passersby did just as their title implies and passed by her. After pointing at her and whispering things at each other first of course.

What made her snap like that anyway? And to Prince Sasuke no less! Answering back to her stepmother and stepsister is only natural to her, but to other people? Oh, how horrible! What would people think of her?

She is the brightest student in the University, able to memorize the most complicated of notes in a second and capable of retaining any needed information whenever she wants to. But her intelligence is not enough to get her out of this predicament, is it?

Where the heck is Ino when she needs her the most anyway?

"Uhm, Sakura?"

The girl in question rolled over dead, her pink hair suddenly covering her face. "Noooo!"

"Haruno Sakura… I'm sorry for startling you."

Sakura surged back to life, whirling around to face the unknown person. She recognized his face. "H-Hatake Kakashi…?"

The silver-haired man grinned behind his mask. "Glad to know that my fame precedes me."

Sakura couldn't help thinking if the stars are not aligned in the proper way on the day of her birthday. She keeps on meeting the strangest people in the strangest ways ever.

"I… Uhm, I mean… H-How did you know my name?" Sakura asked politely but a little numbly. She still couldn't help but feel strastruck at the famous martial arts expert (even though he is also rumored to be a pervert…).

"How could I not? Almost all of the people I run into know you. Your fame intrigued me." Answered Kakashi.

"Oh…" Sakura is wishing to be dead. NOW. Seriously. I mean, you've got to pity the poor girl don't you? It's her birthday and yet…

"What was that rumor I have heard that you have stood up to my student?" asked Kakashi, sounding strangely curious.

_Oh man! He's here to defend Sasuke and make me look bad! Man, what did I get myself into? _Sakura thought wherein Inner Sakura was busy shouting **_Kill him! Hide his body! Nobody would know! Shannaro!_**

"Oh, t-that." Sakura laughed nervously, trying to hide the tension she's feeling. "Well, I wasn't myself that time and I just sort of… Uhm, yeah."

She had expected the silver-haired man to pull out a fencing sword from out of nowhere and begin threatening to kill her in the most gruesome ways possible or even get a firegun and shoot her for embarrassing his student.

However, she did not expect him to… laugh. Laugh like a maniac's laugh.

And laugh maniacally Kakashi did.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi apologized at the obviously-confused girl. "It was just that the thought of Sasuke arguing with a girl… Well, I can't say that he didn't see that one coming…"

"I see." Sakura tried to smile, wiping the imaginary sweat off her brow. This Hatake Kakashi guy seems to be a pretty kind and carefree guy. At least he's got humor. Unlike that irritating Prince Sasuke.

♥♥♥♥♥

Meanwhile, Sasuke is still trying to get used to NOT having servants waiting to serve him hand and foot. He didn't like this. He didn't like this one bit. He just wants to be alone and away from annoying people.

Annoying people like that pink-haired nerd. Steam practically erupted from his nose and ears just by the thought of her. That pink-haired geek who had the nerve of steel to fight back at him, the Crowned Prince of Konoha. Yes, he is holding a grudge (The Grudge featuring Uchiha Sasuke coming to the theaters near you!). Sasuke never forgives OR forgets. She will pay. Dearly. Oh, he would make sure of that…

"Hey, Prince Sasuke! Can I take a picture of you?"

Sasuke turned around to meet the fangirl and scowled. "No." He stated coldly and harshly.

The fangirl backed away, scared for life. Hmm, if Sasuke wouldn't pass Konoha Daigaku and become the next King, he could just consider becoming a star in a horror movie. (His glares would scare everybody! Well, maybe not the lovey-dovey die-hard fangirls who would be too busy drooling at the sight of him to notice that his fangs are showing and he's glaring oh-so-darkly at the camera.)

He then spotted a blonde haired guy rummaging… a garbage can? His eyebrows involuntarily twitched. That's it. This place is definitely crawling with idiots and yahoos. He needed to get out of here before he gets contaminated too. But first, he needs to get a clean shirt.

"At last! I found it!" The blonde energetically claimed as he fished out something from the garbage can and in the process, making a banana peel fly out from the garbage can and land on top of Prince Sasuke's head.

Oh boy.

Naruto spun around to find out the unfortunate victim of this… accident. "Oi! Sorry about that, okay? I just needed to find my reviewer in Literature! Hope you don't mind!" He then gave a stupid smile. (Or at least, that's what it looked like to Sasuke.)

"Dobe." He said heavily and threateningly.

"E-Eh?" The confused Naruto could only look at the homicidal boy in puzzlement. "Hey, are you okay?"

That was the last thing Naruto said before he blacked out, immediately seeing stars.

♥♥♥♥♥

It was finally over. Her day is finally over. Her birthday… is over…

Sakura had just finished eating the cookies and then proceeded to wash the dishes. She grabbed an apron and was about to turn on the faucet when the door suddenly opened up with a loud BANG, revealing her stepmother Aki and her stepsister Ami.

"SAKURA!" Aki roared, cheeks red and her eyes bloodshot.

Uh-oh. What did she do now? Did she forget to wash the laundry? Did she forget to feed Ami's pet piranhas? Did she accidentally break one of Ami's things? There were a lot of things running through Sakura's mind as the two approached her.

"You witch! You… damn witch!" Ami accused, drawing her hand back to make it fly towards Sakura's pale face.

"Hey!" Sakura protested. "Now this is going too far! I never did anything wrong! What did you guys eat anyway?" She eyed the two strangely.

Ami snarled, a vein popping out on her forehead and making her wrinkles look more prominent. "How dare you…! Never did anything wrong? Then what is this we are seeing on the TV!"

"Huh?" Sakura merely gaped in shock at the nonsense Ami and Aki are saying about her. "W-What are you talking about?"

"Mommy! She's such a liar, pretending to be innocent and all! We should've given her to the orphanage when we had the chance!" Ami wailed in that irksome high-pitched voice of hers.

"If you don't know what we are talking about, then how do you explain this?" demanded Aki as she grabbed a remote control and turned on the TV to the news channel. Sakura raised an eyebrow. Her stepmother never watches anything like this…

"… _yes, we are proud to say that our son is now engaged to Haruno Sakura…"_

Sakura blinked as her ears perked up. Whoa! Rewind and freeze!

"_What made you choose this Haruno Sakura- a seemingly ordinary girl with no political or noble background- to be the fiancée of your son, Prince Uchiha Sasuke?" _A reporter in the TV asked.

What the…? Engaged to… Prince Sasuke…! Sakura shook her head, hoping that it is just some kind of dream or maybe she has a hearing disorder or something like that.

"_It's a family secret actually," _King Fugaku briefly stated.

"_That's right. But what we do know is that Sakura is qualified to become as the next Queen of Konoha." _Added Queen Mikoto. _"We were informed of her grades in highschool. Straight As."_

"_And she's in a scholar in Konoha Daigaku too." _Fugaku said, nodding his head in approval.

It took all of Sakura's poise not to collapse on the crowd. No, she's much stronger than this. Definitely stronger than this. The interview in the TV was not over yet but time seemed to stop for Sakura, whose mind is only on one thing…

_I'm engaged…!_

"You see, Mommy! What a viper!" She could hear Ami bawling, with the sound of Aki's voice comforting her.

Sakura quickly stood up, racing for the door. This is the last straw. Weird things had been happening on her birthday and quite frankly, she just couldn't comprehend why. Why her and what's the reason behind all of this.

And what's this about being engaged to prince Sasuke! She had only met the guy today for goodness's sake! And he's too egoistic for her taste! Maybe she could tolerate everything that happened earlier but finding you are already engaged without any say on the matter is just so… so… Ooh! Guess she'll just have to go to the Palace and demand the King and Queen for an explanation.

As soon as she opened the door though, she was greeted by the blinding flashes of cameras.

♥♥♥♥♥

**A/N:**

I'm sorry for not updating. It's just that I'm failing in class and I needed to get my act together. And one of my friends who read this story told me in an inconsiderate manner that people wouldn't like the concept because it is too cliché… I'm really depressed. It's starting to affect my writing!

And yes, I am aware that this is not a good chapter.

This chapter might give you guys a few questions like: "Where was Ino when Sakura needed her the most?" or maybe even "And what the heck is up with Inner Sakura popping out at the most inopportune times?"

Ah, well. I just hope that this one is satisfactory for you guys. Should I continue this story or not? I hope I will get some feedbacks.

**Special Thanks To:** Anime Fr3ak, animevivverz, Crazy Gal42, daydreamer53221, YouBetterUpdateThisStory24, ThisIsMyLifeToLive, LoveStories, Rusti Cherries, Sakura and Itachi Forever, trinket, Digital98, kawaii chibi sasuke luver, Green Animelover, Silentdarkheart

You guys get virtual cookies and milk! Haha!

**Replies: shir0-chan** (Hey! You're the first one to review my story again! YAY! –millions of confetti appears- Thanks for the advice. This is Sakura-centric so we'll be hearing a lot of her rants. And have you already watched the whole set of Goong? Gah, I envy you!) **Tsukiko no Yuki **(Arigato, Yuki-san! I would surely review your fic. Hope you will write that story with a combination of Goong and another Korean series soon!) **Miyame Amui chan **(Nope, Kyuubi isn't inside Naruto. He just appears once in a while to wreak havoc. He gets "reborn" you see. And about Sakura, she's not really a princess by birth. But she will be one… by marriage! –cackles-) **pei-chan **(Gomen for confusing you! The real official pairings are SasuSaku, NaruHina, ShikaIno and NejiTen. SasuHina is for plot device only. I just can't imagine pairing up Sasuke-kun with Hinata-chan! –shakes head to erase the thought-) **BloodRuby **(The Intro was a last minute thing, LOL! Glad to know that you've liked it though!) **sasusaku4eva101 **(Sasuke is really in love with Hinata… but since this is a SasuSaku, they wouldn't end up being together. Sorry for confusing you too!) **BlackCat69 **(Ah! I feel flattered to know that your review last chappie was the longest one you've written! –cheeks red-) **lazybluishgurl013 **(Uhm, yes, I am aware that the first chappie is really confusing. Sorry po, but I felt that I should include that because their histories, especially Sasuke's and Naruto's, should have some kind of introduction) **unmei no hana **(Eveybody just loves Goong, no? Hehe! Well, this Naruto version of Goong isn't really Goong-ish. The main plot is the only one I have copied)

Please review! Anyone who would review for the next chapter would get a free virtual ice cream! Their choice! Ya ya ya!

(P.S. Why is the bar thingy not working when I was editing my story?)


	4. Final Decision: Be Engaged Or Not?

Sakura and Daddy were at the beach. They'd been in the water, holding hands and jumping together whenever a wave broke near them. Then a much bigger wave suddenly rushed in and began to break right over them.

"Hang on, Sakura!" Daddy yelled, and the next minute they were tumbling under water and being thrown around by the wave.

Sakura had been so scared.

She could still feel her forehead slamming into the sand when the wave crashed them onto the shore. She had swallowed water and was coughing and her eyes were stinging and she was crying. But then Daddy pulled her onto his lap and hugged her.

"Now that was a wave!" he said as he brushed the sand from her face, "but we rode it out together, didn't we, Sakura?"

That was the best part of the dream- having Daddy's arms around her and feeling so safe.

Before the next summer came around, her mother died. Daddy married another person and soon followed after Haruno Azusa. After that, Sakura never really felt safe again.

♥♥♥

"Sakura-san…"

"Is she alright?"

"…"

Sakura heard voices. Voices forcing her to wake up. She coughed, opening her eyes, and finding herself blinded by the light. Feeling weary, she shakily tried to sit up. "W-What happened? Where am I?" She looked at the three unfamiliar faces. "Who the hell are you guys?!" She asked in alarm.

One of them pushed his sunglasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Pleased to make your acquaintance too."

"Hey… W-What's going on?" The last thing she remembered was a flash of a camera. Correction. Flashes of cameras.

"You fainted," The one with the unfashionable bowl-cut hairstyle and bushy eyebrows eagerly answered. "Good thing we came just in time to get you away from the media."

"Or else they would've feasted on public images of the future Queen lying unconscious on the ground." A man with some red markings on his face finished.

"Arf!" Barked a dog.

Future Queen? Oh yeah. She almost forgot. That shocking announcement.

Why was she chosen to become the bride of that stuck-up Prince Sasuke anyway? It certainly wasn't all about her high grades in Konoha Daigaku, is it? There should be a higher reason. Still, Sakura doesn't want to live like a doll behind the place walls and not be able to do anything. She has her own dreams.

Her life is complicated enough.

Marrying now would bring her more problems.

**_Gah! We're too young and too beautiful to marry! This can't happen!_** Inner Sakura was screaming, banging her head. **_Shannaro!_**

"Sakura-san?"

Her head snapped up. Blinking, she said, "Uhm, hai?"

"We still haven't introduced ourselves properly!" The unfashionable one stated. He pointed to himself, "My name is Rock Lee, a master of Taijutsu and the protégé of the great Maito Gai!" Waves suddenly appeared on the background.

"My name is Inuzuka Kiba, nice to meet you." The boy with the dog introduced, grinning as he showed some fangs.

"…"

"Uh, his name is Aburame Shino," Kiba filled in. "He's the quiet and mysterious type. He never really talks that much." He then leaned in closer to Sakura, whispering, "Quite frankly, nobody knows what bizarre things are going on in that mind of his."

"I am not deaf, Kiba." Shino interjected.

Sakura giggled. "I am Haruno Sakura by the way. But is seems as if you know me already."

"It is our job to know you!" Rock Lee exclaimed, thumping his chest dramatically. "From now on, we are your royal bodyguards!"

"E-EH?"

"You see, since you turned 16 years of age, we have already been assigned to keep track of you and follow you to make certain that our Future Queen would be safe. Konoha has many enemies and the Council fears that some of them already know of your identity and try to kidnap you." Kiba explained to the pink-haired girl.

"B-But… Why me?" Sakura asked in a small voice.

The boys looked at each other. "We don't know for sure. We've just been assigned with this job and it is not in our place to question the workings and goings-on inside the Palace." Kiba answered, smiling weakly.

"I see."

"But for now, you must get ready," Lee suddenly declared, looking excited. "You are already awake so you should now meet the King and Queen!"

"Yes, yes," Sakura said flatly, looking lost and inattentive, her eyes focused on the ceiling. Then, as if a balloon had just popped, her eyes widened as she repeated, "Meet the King and Queen!"

♥♥♥

"Why did you summon me in here so late in the evening anyway?" Sasuke asked crossly, hands on his pockets. "I need to sleep early. You sent me to a university remember?" His last line was rather sarcastic.

"Crown Prince Uchiha Sasuke," Mikoto started, addressing her son in a formal manner. "I am afraid that we have to discuss something of utmost importance with you at the last second. Please listen calmly. This is about the future. Konoha's future. YOUR future."

"I'm listening." Sasuke responded, frowning.

"As you know, 18 is the age wherein our a member of our clan is allowed to marry," Fugaku stated, making eye contact with his son. "In the case of the Crown Prince however, 18 is the age where he should already choose his bride."

Sasuke thought of his one-sided love with Hinata for a moment before focusing his attention to his father once again.

"To make it easier, we have decided to select your future wife for you," Fugaku said, earning him a dropped jaw from Sasuke. "Understand that as the Crown Prince, what comes first should be what would be the best for Konoha. Emotions and personal feelings always come last."

By this point, Sasuke had already composed himself and evenly asked, "Then may I know who this… girl… is?"

Fugaku snapped his fingers and a servant appeared, carrying a photograph. She bowed before the King and Queen before turning to Sasuke. The raven-haired prince first hesitated, raising an eyebrow before silently taking the picture.

Prince Sasuke stared. And stared. And stared…

Wait.

Pink hair. Green eyes. Dark-framed glasses. Baggy clothes. Bad posture.

Could it be…?

He stared at the picture long and hard, mouth again open. His eyes were already budging as he scrutinized the girl on the picture: A nerdy looking girl grinning and giving a V-sign.

What the fudge is going on here? There is no doubt that the infernal know-it-all student he met in Konoha Daigaku and this ugly girl in the picture is one and the same! Is this some kind of mean and cruel joke being pulled by that perverted Kakashi?

Sasuke smirked, unable to believe what is happening. He then looked up and saw the deadly serious expressions imprinted on his parents' faces.

No freaking way…

He did the unthinkable and the downright extraordinary…

"AAAAAGH!!!!!!!"

♥♥♥

The guard turned to his companion. "Was that… Prince Sasuke?"

"Yes, indeed it was." The other royal guard nodded solemnly.

"Why was he shouting?" The younger guard asked, eyebrows furrowing. "Should we go in? There might be some trouble. I mean, the Prince rarely speaks. Who knows what miracle made him shout?"

"Nah, let's let them be." The older guard replied lightly.

"B-B-But!"

The guard gave his stuttering companion a sharp look. "That was an order."

♥♥♥

A lot of things were racing through Sakura's mind as she entered the room. First of all, what would she say to the King and Queen? Should she talk to them about her… engagement (it still is a foul word for her)… with Crown Prince Sasuke? Also, why was she chosen? Out of all people, out of millions and millions of girls (and the not-so-sure gender), why her? There were people more beautiful than her. She really wasn't graceful. She always stood with her shoulders straight and tall, couldn't sit still if her life depended upon it, and walked as if she were in a race. Never would she even dare dance in a ballroom with her two left feet. Why her?

And the most important question of all…

Who was shouting ever-so-loudly at the top of his voice so shamelessly while inside the palace?

The sight that first met her was Princes Sasuke, looking at her murderously, his aura leaking of homicidal tendencies.

Sakura blinked. And groaned. _Oh geez, not again…_

"Uhm, a pleasant evening Your Royal Highnesses," Sakura curtsied, bowing politely. She then turned to the enraged prince, not letting him faze her even a slightest bit. "Good evening, my Prince."

She was met by a cold and hard angry glare.

**_What the fudge is that all about!!! Can't this chicken-head even acknowledge his future wife? Ooh, he makes me so angry! So damn ANGRY! Shannaro! _**Inner Sakura was explicitly shouting, firing up.

Sighing, Sakura started remembering the rules and the proper etiquette one must observe when in the presence of the King and Queen. Kiba and the others gave her three simple rules.

_1.) Do not stare at them directly when speaking._

_2.) Always use formal language. Street language when speaking to them is discourteous!_

_3.) Do not interrupt when they are talking._

Suddenly, the Queen stood up, her face lighting up in recognition. "My goodness, so you are Haruno Sakura-chan? Aren't you such a beautiful young lady?" She said smiling. "Yes, yes. You and my son are a perfect match!"

"Eh?" The pink-haired girl was surprised when the royal matriarch ran to her and embraced her.

"Oh, do not worry about her," the more serious Fugaku stated, waving a hand dismissively. "She gets excited easily. Besides, she can't wait to marry off our spoiled son and see her future grandchildren."

(And this is the part wherein Sakura's mind goes "BWUH?")

(Neither her intelligence nor her unimpeachable sharp tongue could save her and give a ready retort on this one.)

Sakura just stared at the Queen for a full 10 seconds. (Rule Number 1… Broken!)

"You are a bright and beautiful child; my son is very much a lucky man to be you betrothed." Queen Mikoto prattled contentedly, clapping her hands. Sakura could only stare at the childish woman in wonder. Is this the same influential figure who commands such respect and admiration from the people of Konoha?

"I'm out of here." The raven-haired prince suddenly declared. Amidst the stunned reactions he received from Sakura and the Royal Couple, he turned on his heel and left right away.

He really was disgusted at what he is seeing. His parents only met that nerd for one minute and the next thing he knows, they were treating her better than him. Not even stopping to address the guards who cordially greeted him, he thought of the how he hated that girl and how he would violently oppose to their marriage.

After all, the Prince of Konoha is not suited to the Princess of Nerdy Beggars.

"What's his damage?" Sakura asked before she could stop herself. "Much apologies, Your Highnesses!" She said, knowing that informal speech in the Palace is supposed to be rude and offensive. (Rule Number 2… Broken!)

"It is alright, Sakura-chan." The Queen kindly replied, going back to her throne.

Sakura blushed, flattered by the Queen's kindness. All of a sudden, she remembered what she came here to do. "Uhm, if I may be so bold to ask, what is the reason why you chose me to be… er, the Prince's bride?" She just cannot bring herself to say Sasuke's name.

"The question is not why, but how you became the Crown Princess in the first place," Fugaku responded, his tone artless. When he saw the quizzical look on Sakura's face, he explained some more, "You see, Haruno-san, you grandfather is good friends with the 7th King of Konoha, King Yasuke Uchiha. Now, the two have made a pact that if one of them bears a boy, that child would soon marry the other child who is a girl. Since both of them gave birth to a boy, the promise couldn't be made, so the arrangement was transferred to the next generation."

"Which were Prince Sasuke-kun and you." Mikoto finished.

"Wait, you mean all of this is just a result of a fixed marriage? An arranged conspiracy against us?" Sakura thoughtlessly asked, shocked. (Rule Number 3… Broken! HOMERUN!)

"I do not think that marrying the Crown Prince of Konoha as an undesirable prospect on your part, my child." Mikoto replied, looking surprised at the girl's sudden outburst.

Sakura involuntarily clutched her fist. "I am sorry, really I am. But can't you even consider our feelings? I want to marry for true love, not just because of some political wedding arrangement made by our grandfathers."

The Royal Couple looked at each other.

"And your son, I think that… Well, I think that feeling sad and angry is normal. He didn't even have any say on the matter. None of us did." Sakura trailed on, forgetting who she was talking to and not even minding the fact that she was defending Sasuke for a moment.

"It really is a sad thing that you have to marry each other even though it is against your wishes." Fugaku said, acknowledging Sakura's sentiments. "But it is part of the will, and I have promised my father already. To go against my word is like a deadly sin for me."

Mikoto offered the girl before her a warm smile. "Besides, who knows? You might just love each other through this marriage."

_I doubt it. _Sakura thought, sneering inwardly.

"It is much too late. You need your rest. We shall send you back to your house right away." Fugaku said.

"Uhm, but, I'm really worried," Sakura said timidly, fixing her glasses. "I mean, I'm not scared that something bad might happen to me on the way but my family… Well, I really don't think that they would like me staying in their house because of…"

"Oh, do not worry about any violent reactions from them taking place," Mikoto assured the girl, understanding what she meant. "I would send Rock Lee to be escort you and stay there as your personal bodyguard."

Without any warning, Rock Lee entered the room, somersaulting and doing dangerous acrobatics before giving the Good Guy Pose (-yah, a really scary pose in other words) and saying, "YOSH! I shall protect the cherry blossom flower with all my heart and soul! I would not surrender her to the forces of evil! Show the power of youth!"

The three sweatdropped.

♥♥♥

"Neji! Neji! Neji!" Tenten hurriedly rushed upstairs, her messy hair flying on her face. "Neji!" she shouted, opening the door of the Hyuuga prodigy's room forcefully.

The light revealed the long-haired Hyuuga in meditation pose, wearing only his bathrobes.

Tenten blinked, stunned into speechlessness. She never thought of… Oh! The weapon mistress blushed, realizing her mistake. "I'm sorry, I didn't know ... Next time, I won't barge in, Neji!"

"You do know that I hate being disturbed right? If you want to say something to me, it better be good." His tone was unmistakably annoyed, but Tenten was practically immune to it. After all, years and years of training with him in Gai's Kung-fu School ought to make her resistant to his dark glares and scary way of speaking.

"It's just that... I saw it on the news! I saw it on TV! My goodness, I saw it everywhere!" Tenten was saying, waving her arms in all sorts of crazy directions.

"What?" Neji really doesn't have the time to play around with Tenten. "Spit it out already!"

"Prince Sasuke is getting married!" Tenten blurted out.

Silence filled the room as the two stared at each other. All of a sudden, Hyuuga Neji laughed. He laughed in a very un-Neji manner, and that surprised Tenten who was looking at Neji questioningly.

"Tenten, you amuse me. Really you do." The white-eyed boy spoke up, almost smirking. "Do you honestly want me to believe that the Crown Prince would get married and that the Palace fully supports this decision? I honestly cannot bring myself to take you seriously."

The bun-haired girl groaned, exasperated. "Well! Here I was, telling you of a very grave situation and you have the nerve to go and laugh at me? Ha! Go ahead, Hyuuga Neji! Laugh!"

Making Neji raise an eyebrow, "Hm? Are you truly serious about this matter?"

"Of course I am!" The tomboyish Hyuuga bodyguard practically shouted. "If Prince Sasuke is really going to marry, then what do you think would happen to Hinata-chan? The only way for her to gain the approval of her father is to marry into a more prestigious clan more powerful than the Hyuugas. And guess what? The only ones more powerful than the Hyuugas are the Uchihas, who by the way are the royal family!" She said all of this without even stopping.

"If the Crown Prince is getting married, Hinata has no choice but to accept it. It is not like she has feelings for that show-off crown Prince." Neji hastily replied, giving Tenten a sharp look.

"True," Tenten admitted. "But it would make Hinata sad, knowing that she did not live up to her clan's expectations again."

"I must confess, we Hyuugas are proud people who would never admit that we were ever wrong. Maybe that is why the public views our clan as a sort of ambitious organization hell-bent on taking the Uchiha's political powers." Neji looked at the ceiling, as if remembering something. "My father told me that I should not choose the path my Uncle took. I have always followed his teachings. That is why I do not involve myself in any of the clan's affairs. Hinata-sama is the heiress and it is her destiny. She is not destined to be the Crown Princess and the Hyuuga Clan is not destined to rule over Konoha."

"Pfft," Tenten rolled her eyes. "Just when I thought you are going to say something thought-pondering you disappoint me in the end and go all destiny-loco. You're of no help at all." Frustrated, she left the Hyuuga prodigy's room.

♥♥♥

**A/N:**

Oh. My. God. I haven't updated for ages and I feel so guilty and miserable. I am so sorry, minna-san!

Well, guess what? I got good grades and managed to be the Top 5 of our class! I am so happy! Thank you very much to everyone who supported me! All of your comments warmed my heart. I am truly touched that people I do not know would be kind enough to give words of encouragement. I dedicate this chapter to everyone who told me to be strong and hold on to this story. Fighting! Ha-ya!

Is it alright with you guys if it'll serve as my Christmas and New Year gift to you? Hm?

**Special Thanks To**: dontconfuseme, BeautifulAssasin, AzNwitBra1Nz, rainingblood666, Lin , frienz4ever, Crazy Gal42, Luvabl3Pna1, sasuke's wife, Envy Me 5-6-7-3 , kawaii chibi sasuke luver, rebel-girl, SoranoDarkHorse, Callista Miralni, Ur2tRoUbLeSoMe90, Uchiha Jennifer-Both, Beki-Lynn-baka, Archerelf, PISSED FAN - I LOVE THE STO... , Hanyue-Chan, SoraKoi The Water Goddess, bunnyandpuppylover, lilrockinprincess, AizSaku, Sarah Rebecca, silentdarkheart, aNiMElUver234, Lenaya , ThisIsMyLifeToLive, cheriblossoms6

**Replies: gripped** (My first reviewer for the 3rd chappie! YAY! Thanks, thanks, thanks! I love you to pieces! –dances-) **pei-chan** (Aww, thanks. Yes, I was really worried that my story is cliché but with twists, we authors can make breathe life into the same old story.) **lanie-chan** (Man! I feel so appreciated! Thank you very much for that long review! –wipes tear from her eyes- We all support the same pairings! And I am surprised that you seem to be foreshadowing about the future events of the story. Your review really made me happy. And thanks a lot for adding this to Fav. Stories, Story Alert and me in your Fav. Authors list. I hope I didn't disappoint you by updating after a long period of time!) **shiro-chan** (Yay! My writing improved! Thank you very much. You are right. Hinata doesn't have the guts to seduce Sasuke but I guess you can say that for the clan she has to, er, win back his love. And I also realized that Sasuke was talking too much last chappie. Much apologies. I'll try to make him more angsty. Hehe.) **Rae **(Yes, I'll stop being negative. Go, go, go! Fight to the end!)

Go! Press the shiny Review button! You know you want to… Hehe!

♥♥♥

Sakura, her nostrils flaring and her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, pointed at the Crowd Prince and shouted at the top of her voice, "Hey chicken-head!"

The insult certainly worked. Time seemed to stay still as Sasuke stopped and slowly turned to Sakura, his expression unreadable, "What did you just call me?"

_**Next Chapter: Revealed! Palace Schemes **_

"Well, if I'm forehead girl, why can't you be chicken-head?" Sakura said confidently, not even showing any signs of panic when Sasuke started to advance towards her dangerously.


	5. Revealed! Palace Schemes

"Stupid forehead girl, wake up!"

Sakura only rolled over, putting her pillow over her head so she can cover her ears.

"Let me do it mother…"

Deadly silence.

"WAKE UP UGLY FOREHEAD GIRL!!!"

The booming voice of Ami shrieking piercingly into her ear finally made Sakura snap and she promptly got out of bed, looking annoyed. "Huh? Hey! What's the matter with you guys?"

"In case you didn't know, a big commotion is going on outside, _Your Highness_." Ami drawled out in a bored voice, though if one would take the time to inspect her facial features more closely, one can come to the conclusion that she is still bitter.

"Hmph," Sakura headed towards the doorway. "A commotion? Why?"

"Are you sure you want to go out looking like that?" Ami asked, eyeing her half-sister disdainfully.

It was true that Sakura still looked like a mess, just recently rising out of her bed and all. But the stubborn girl only scratched her head, "Don't tell me how I should look! I'll dress up as I like and I'll come out dressed as I like!" She said defiantly.

"If you say so…" The mother-and-daughter combo exchanged looks and secretly snickered.

Meanwhile, outside the house, Lee was having some trouble holding up the mob of people gathering around the Haruno residence. After the international announcement of Haruno Sakura's engagement to Uchiha Sasuke on TV last night, reporters had flocked to her household to get an exclusive scoop. Rock Lee, who had taken his job as the Princess's bodyguard seriously, had been keeping them at bay since last night.

"Sir, is it true that the future Crown Princess lives here in this very house?" One pesky reporter asked.

"Her name is Haruno Sakura, right? Then she lives here right?" Another one asked, focusing his camera on Lee.

"Why do you have such bushy eyebrows, Mister?" One brave reporter inquired.

Lee, despite the intense training and preparation he obtained from his Gai-sensei, just cannot keep up. He simply was no match against the power of the gossipy media people. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Sakura coming out of the house. Alarmed, he called out, "Haruno-san! Haruno-san! Haruno-san! Go back! Don't come outside!"

"Hey, it's the Crown Princess!" One reported pointed out. Suddenly, flashes of camera could be heard.

Sakura, too shocked to move, was rooted to the spot thereby allowing the reporters to take various pictures of her from different angles. When she finally did regain her senses, she ran back to the house, dazed and frightened.

"Oh my gosh… Shucks, superstar!" She cried out to herself, banging her head with her fist. She then ran to the nearest mirror and inspected herself. Her pink hair was messy, her eyes look tired and droopy while her eyebags are more visible and a slight drool can be spotted on her mouth. To top it all off, she was still in her pajamas… Her kiddy pajamas! She looked horrified when she discovered that she forgot to button her top, exposing some of her cleavage.

"Noooooooo!"

♥ ♥ ♥

Naruto poured some hot water into his instant ramen, "Hey Uncle Iruka, you look tense. What's the deal?"

Umino Iruka, Naruto's guardian and father-figure for almost ten years, smiled a little bit forcibly. "N-Nothing Naruto. I'm just tired from teaching at the Academy. You know kids. They're too energetic for their own good."

"Okay…" Naruto answered with a smile even though there was a hint of doubt in his voice.

"By the way Naruto," Iruka coughed as he awkwardly tried to change the topic. "Have you ever watched the news today?"

"Nope!" Naruto cheerfully announced as he finished his bowl of instant ramen. He wiped his mouth clean as he continued, "You know me, I just can't stand boring stuff!"

"Ah, right. Er…" Iruka chuckled lightly before getting his own bowl at the kitchen.

_Umino Iruka, now is the time. He has matured enough and has developed a better understanding about the world around him. Tell to him the truth and after that, you will cease to become his guardian._

Iruka's mind had unconsciously drifted back to the time when he had been assigned to take care of the former Crown Prince of Konoha, Uchiha Naruto. Fiercely loyal to the Palace, Iruka obliged though his heart felt heavy at the thought of raising a child whose memory had been technologically erased. Since then, he had felt it as his duty to protect Naruto from the cruel ways of the outside world. The boy had been abandoned, his right of being the next ruler of Konoha taken away from him. Iruka could feel his pain. It was the pain that the blonde teenager should feel, if it wasn't for Iruka shielding him from getting hurt.

Now, they were expecting him to leave this child after their ten years of living together? What do they want to imply here? Were they expecting him to ditch Naruto just like what they did to him a long time ago? It wouldn't be that simple to just walk away as if nothing happened. After all, a bond between them has already been formed.

"Uncle…" The blonde pensively watched his Uncle Iruka who was in deep thought.

Contrary to popular belief, Uzumaki Naruto was not an idiotic oaf. He could be observant and serious when the time calls for it. Many people only regard him as childish and even though he _is_ childish ninety percent of the time, the ten percent occurs whenever he wants to think of something profound.

_He is thinking about something really, really, really important!_ Naruto concluded. He observed as sweat trickled down his Uncle's forehead with the man not even showing any plans of wiping it.

"Uncle, don't worry!" Naruto suddenly slapped his Uncle on the back, as if it was his very own way of encouraging him. "Whatever it is that's bugging you, you can always talk about it with me!"

_That's the problem!_ Iruka wanted to retort, but he felt his throat go dry when he heard…

_**DING DONG! DING DONG!**_

"Oh, I'll get it!" Naruto scrambled to the door to greet the sudden visitor. Iruka's heart beat faster as his mind raced, thinking of the different possibilities of how to tell the boy his secret.

"Uzumaki Naruto?" The stranger inquired almost immediately after Naruto opened the door.

"EH?" Naruto blinked when he saw a white-haired man with one eye partially covered by a forehead protector holding a red hardbound novel. "D-Do I know you?"

"I'm just here because I have been ordered by the Royal Family." The man explained, but Naruto just gave a blank look.

"Wait, hold up! Who the hell are you? And what is this Royal-Family-mumbo-jumbo you're talking about?" Naruto roughly asked the newcomer, bending over slightly to take in the sight of the man.

"Ah, I see…" The man, whom we all know as Konoha's very own Hatake Kakashi, closed his book and walked straight inside the room. He didn't even bother to throw the now-irritated Naruto a glance. "Iruka…"

When he heard Kakashi's recognizable voice, Iruka's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. Maybe the Council had decided that he was taking way too long to declare Naruto's true heritage and sent someone else- someone responsible and can say things without any hesitations- to do the job…?

He turned around and found himself looking at Kakashi himself. "Yo! No time no see, First Seat Representative Umino Iruka."

"Kakashi-san." Iruka, despite being nervous, bowed down slightly and turned back to face his acquaintance. "This is certainly a surprise, Kakashi-san. What brings you here to our humble apartment?"

Naruto looked confused more than ever. So his Uncle knows this strange guy?

"Iruka, you know very well why I am here. You have already exhausted your privilege of taking care of the boy. But I suppose that even if you knew that, you still didn't have the courage to tell Naruto?" Kakashi asked as he circled over the room, casually looking at the family pictures of Iruka and Naruto that were decorating the room.

Now Naruto's ears perked up. So this Kakashi-san guy really does know him too!

"You guys are cute." Kakashi said tonelessly as he inspected a picture of the two, who were both wearing a happy smile and waving at the camera. It seems as if the photo was taken on Christmas at least five years ago.

"Hey, hey, Mister!" Naruto could sense the apprehension that was rising from his Uncle. It was bad enough that he was acting awkwardly just a while ago! "You don't have the right to barge in at our apartment and say things that are apparently nonsense! Why don't you go and mess around with some other people, huh, buster?"

Kakashi didn't even look at the boy. "As feisty as your father, I see."

Iruka bowed his head in shame as Naruto stuttered unintelligibly. "W-What… Father? I mean, _what the hell_?"

"Naruto-kun," This time, the silver-haired man faced Naruto. "Did your Uncle Iruka ever tell you about your parents?"

"Why does _that_ matter?" He snapped back, though inside, he was secretly wondering why his Uncle would suddenly get all gloomy and change the topic everytime his parents became an issue.

"Did you ever wonder how they looked like? Or at least, didn't you even ask yourself why Iruka hasn't shown you any pictures of them?" Kakashi asked mysteriously. He could see the bewilderment in the boy's blue eyes.

"My parents?" Try as hard as he wants to, he just couldn't hold back the excitement that was registering on his countenance.

Kakashi approached him slowly. "Do you want me to tell you?"

♥ ♥ ♥

The girl watched as the people staring at her gave her mixed looks: One was looking like she was about to cry and the other two were giving her amused glances and a thumbs-up.

"Why do I have to do _**THIS**_!" She screeched loudly as the young boy and the young girl placed their fingers on their ears. The other woman, definitely older than the other three, was crying in the background with the girl.

"It's the only way!" The boy flashed his sparkly whites and ushered the protesting girl to the doorway. "Just remember, you have done the Royal family a great deed." And with that, the boy with the weird haircut opened the door and pushed the screaming girl out.

The people from the press, who could smell fear from a mile away, locked eyes with the girl.

"Bye, Princess Sakura-san!" The boy cried out as the screaming girl ran away when the gossipy media people decided to follow her trail. He ignored the older woman's wails and turned to the other girl with him. "Okay! The coast is clear; quickly leave now before they realize that the one who just left was just a decoy and not the real Princess!"

"Thank you!" The girl hurriedly rushed to the back of the house and put on her skates and dashed off without even looking back.

"Don't worry! I'll take care of things around here! THE YOUTH WON'T FAIL ME!" She could here the boy exclaim from a distance.

Sakura sighed. When the paparazzi came at her house and had decided that it was okay for them to invade her privacy and take embarrassing pictures of her, she asked herself why the earth didn't open up and swallowed her whole.

Thankfully, her assigned bodyguard and new friend, Rock Lee, had come up with an amazing idea. He suggested that they dress up Ami as Sakura and have her run around to confuse the media so that they could give some time for the real Sakura to escape. Naturally, Ami and her mother Aki objected a little bit violently. Let's just say that a chair broke and they gave a screaming protest that would really match Gai's "youth speech." However, Lee pointed out that if they didn't cooperate, he would have to report them to the Palace. Hearing this, the two grudgingly accepted Lee's idea.

"Ah, this is the life!" Sakura cried out, raising her arms energetically, as cherry blossoms rained down on her. With a slight smile, she pumped some more energy to her legs and skated towards her destination…

♥ ♥ ♥

The Konoha Daigaku is considered as one of the most prestigious university in the world. It is a sprawling campus which offers four major program clusters: social sciences, arts and letters, management and economics, and science and technology. Every year, an astonishing 100,000 applicants come to take the Konoha Daigaku Admission Test. Unfortunately, only 20,000 qualifiers are admitted.

Most of the University students are upright citizens who are ready to rock the world with the knowledge and wisdom they acquired inside the University premises. They have been molded to have strong characters, encouraged to ignite the "will of fire."

However, that does not mean that they are immune to senseless rumors.

"Hey, did you hear? The princess-to-be is studying right here in KonohaDai!"

"Ooh! You mean, that Prince Sasuke and the Royal Princess are, you know… They already know each other and have… mutual understanding…?"

"What! Really? How did they keep their relationship a secret?"

"If you ask me, I think that this Pinky is a fugly girl. I mean, who would _ever_ dye their hair _pink_?"

"Gah! I am sooo jealous of this **Haruno Sakura**!"

Yamanaka Ino didn't believe it when she heard about it last night. Without informing Sakura since it was urgent, she asked permission from her professors to cut off her next classes so that she could shoot her next pictorial. Being a model is hard since her photoshoots usually take up until night. When she did finish though, she thought of watching the TV at home just to relax and chill out. But…

"_The Palace is now preparing for the Crown Prince's Engagement. This is the first time that in Konoha's history that a member of the royal family would be engaged to a girl who had an ordinary upbringing. Yes, we are proud to say that our son is now engaged to Haruno Sakura."_

Ino promptly choked on her drink when the words "son," (spoken by the King of Konoha, automatically leading to hunky Prince Sasuke) "engaged" and "Haruno Sakura" registered inside her head.

"_What made you choose this Haruno Sakura- a seemingly ordinary girl with no political or noble background- to be the fiancée of your son, Prince Uchiha Sasuke?" _A reporter in the TV asked.

The blonde girl counted from 1 to 10 to calm down her nerves. She must be tired. Yes, that might be it! She is just _too_ tired!

"_It's a family secret actually." _King Fugaku briefly stated.

"_That's right. But what we do know is that Sakura is qualified to become as the next Queen of Konoha." _Added Queen Mikoto. _"We were informed of her grades in highschool. Straight As."_

"_And she's in a scholar in Konoha Daiga-"_

Hearing enough rubbish for that night, Ino turned off the TV and finished her hot chocolate. _Sleeping will do wonders_, she thought to herself. _In the morning, I'll just laugh my butt off because of this weird hallucination caused by stress…!_

Oh, how she wished that it really was a hallucination! When she arrived at the University, countless reporters were surrounding the University gates, all shouting the name of her bestfriend.

And, flying gracefully from almost every corner of the University… were posters and flyers of the new Crown Princess… Haruno Sakura…

She couldn't believe it. No, she didn't want to believe it.

Sakura, for as long as she could she remember, had always hated a Cinderella type of romance. Whenever she would tell her friend her dreams of marrying Prince Sasuke and being transformed from an ordinary lass to an extraordinary beautiful princess, Sakura would stick a tongue out and tell her that she should focus on her studies first.

Now, Sakura being put into a position she has long desired, Ino couldn't help but feel being _betrayed_ by her friend.

She thought about what the other students were saying. That the prince and Sakura have been going out since before since they were on the same campus anyway. If that was true, then why? Why didn't Sakura say anything about it?

♥ ♥ ♥

"W-What are you doing here?"

When Sakura had decided to take a shortcut and head for a hallway that few students in the University pass through, she didn't count on seeing Prince Sasuke on the way.

Sasuke, arms on his pockets, looked as calm and composed as ever. Unlike his, ehem, screaming side last night, he had an aura of coolness today. His eyes were flecked with irritation for the girl but he decided to ignore her and move onwards.

Sakura stayed quiet for a moment. She didn't want someone as smug as that guy to be her future husband. Glaring at his back, she was surprised when the Prince turned around and smirked at her.

"Like what you see?" He teased.

"Excuse me?" Sakura still had her pride and she refuses to be made fun of!

"You could _at least_ try to keep me on my toes," The prince sighed. "But I guess that with _that_ face, even entertaining me is impossible for you."

Sakura didn't know what to say. Her mouth closed and opened but nothing was coming out. And her mind was aching as she thought, _What does he mean by entertaining him?_

As if sensing what was on her mind, the Prince walked close to her, the distance between them now only an inch.

_**Dammit! **_Inner Sakura roared, her hands itching to strangle something or someone. _**Move Sakura, MOVE! SHANNARO!**_

Sasuke then leaned his face closer to her, making her gasp involuntarily. The pink-haired girl didn't know what to do. She looked around her but no one was around- just the two of them. Time seemed to stop for her as she struggled to move away or do something drastic to keep him away from her, like slapping the Prince hard on the face.

"Your face…" Sasuke drawled, the smirk still on his face.

"G-Go away!" Sakura managed to yelp as she moved away to another corner of the hallway. But Sasuke was faster than her, and had her in a deadlock. Now, poor Sakura was caught right between the Prince Sasuke and the wall and had no way of escaping. Now aware of their close proximity, Sakura racked her brains to say something intelligent or do something violent.

"Your face," Sasuke said after a few minutes. "is entertaining. You look like a funny cartoon character." He then pulled away, satisfied with seeing Sakura become flustered.

Her shocked expression quickly changed as annoyance crossed her features. "What do you want? Are you happy _NOW_?"

"As the third most important woman in Konoha, you have to be always ready." Sasuke informed her.

"Third most important?" Sakura parroted.

"Heh. And they said that you are one of the smartest students in the University." Sasuke mocked. "Either KonohaDai has low standards or you are just plain stupid, hiding behind your eyeglasses to appear smart."

"What are you implying?" Sakura snapped, unable to contain the anger in her voice.

"First, there's the Mother Empress. Following next is the Royal Queen. And the next on the line is the Crown Princess." And as if to emphasize his point, he poked at Sakura's larger-than-normal temple. "That's you, Forehead Girl."

He purposely turned around after that, pleased that he embarrassed Sakura. It was not an enough revenge for him after what happened but this would be enough. For now.

Sakura, her nostrils flaring and her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, pointed at the Crowd Prince and shouted at the top of her voice, "Hey chicken-head!"

The insult certainly worked. Time seemed to stay still as Sasuke stopped and slowly turned to Sakura, his expression unreadable, "What did you just call me?"

"Well, if I'm forehead girl, why can't you be chicken-head?" Sakura said confidently, not even showing any signs of panic when Sasuke started to advance towards her dangerously.

Sasuke's onyx eyes flashed ruthlessly.

His eyes met Sakura's own, though hers was a brilliant jade color.

But he turned on his heel again and walked away. The Crown Prince figured that it wouldn't be good for him if he was to exchange verbal mockery with the girl. After all, he had already done his plan. He wouldn't be foolish enough to actually let Sakura have the upper hand on him should he let his anger get the better of him.

Sakura watched as Sasuke ignored her. Outraged, she yelled again, "YOU BASTARD!" But then, something unexpected happen. She momentarily became off-balance, making her lose her footing. Collapsing painfully on the floor, Sakura could only stare as Sasuke looked down at her, still wearing his infamous smirk.

"A cartoon character indeed." Sakura wanted to wipe the conceited sneer on the Prince's face.

♥ ♥ ♥

Hyuuga Hinata feared when her father would ever talk to her again. Without Tenten, her trusted bodyguard and friend, she escaped the Hyuuga Manor to do some thinking and to reflect on some things.

She felt tears streaming down her face as she sat on the swing.

"Hey."

The Hyuuga heiress looked up, her pale white eyes seeing a young boy with blonde hair and bright blue eyes staring back at her. Realizing that she had been crying all this time, she hurriedly wiped her tears using a handkerchief. "A-Ano… I'm really sorry. I didn't m-mean to…"

Naruto was at a loss. When he unceremoniously ran away after Kakashi told him the disturbing details of his past, he thought of going to his most favorite place to relax- the park. He really didn't believe all the lies that the silver-haired man told him. He was a Prince? No way! To calm down, he searched for the swing where he always sat on whenever he was down or feeling troubled. However, he didn't expect to see such a beautiful girl already seated on the swing.

"You were crying." Naruto said, concerned for the stranger. "Do you have a problem or something? Can I help?" For Naruto, others always came first, even before his personal worries. He had always been that way, a trusting young man.

Hinata had never before seen a stranger so _warm_ before. Plus, the fact that the boy was looking at her with every ounce of sincerity built up an aura of familiarity around him. Or at least, that's what Hinata sensed.

"You know, the swing you're sitting down on," He pointed at the swing and grinned. "is magical."

The white-eyed girl blinked. She didn't know how to respond to that. When she was a little kid, she used to hear stories of magic and love from her mother. When her mother died, her father harshly told her to not believe in such fairy tales, saying that only a gullible fool believes in them.

"You don't believe me?" Naruto pouted.

"N-No! I-It's not like that!" Hinata did not want to offend the boy's feelings. Actually, she found it rather _adorable_ that the boy still believes in magic.

"Whenever I am in trouble, I just sit down there and poof! All my worries are gone!" He shouted, raising his arms up in the air. "Hey, try it! It's okay! You're gonna be happier in no time!" Without waiting for the girl to reply, he jogged behind her and pushed her on the swing.

"Eeek!" Hinata screamed as she took up in the air.

"Doesn't it feel good?" The girl heard Naruto ask, as her hair bounced behind her, her body soaring lightly.

"Y-Yes!" She blushed, but thankfully, Naruto was at her back, unaware that her face already resembles a ripe tomato.

They continued like this for minutes, but Naruto suddenly stopped pushing when he saw something on the ground. Silence reigned between them for a while. The Hyuuga princess, worried, stood up and walked towards her companion. But her heart stopped when she saw a flyer of a pink-haired girl with green eyes and flashing a V-sign while smiling cheerily.

It was the picture of the new Crown Princess, Haruno Sakura.

♥ ♥ ♥

**A/N:**

Whoo! Chapter Five done! Actually, I already finished this last February _which was ages I go I know_**but **I was so busy with all the requirements needed for my third year in highschool. Har har. And furthermore, the stupid internet wasn't working…! –grumbles, grumbles- And I'm hooked on **cosplay**! Yeah!

And now I am so stressed because I am reviewing for my college entrance exams. I know I am not stupid but still...

Well, anyway, this chapter kinda freaked me out because a friend was like, "Omigod! You just put a KakaIru! I totally love it!" And I'm like, "BWUH?" because for all I know, I was focusing on SasuSaku and NaruHina.

**Special** **Thanks To:** Shinobi of life, tenshi, the light of hope, Falling Demon, mitzuki1290, HPBabe91, velcroSUNSHINE, rebel-girl, Crazy Gal42, jami16, Note-binder, Mieko Sakuya, Ur2tRoUbLeSoMe90, Sarah Rebecca, pei-chan, lolmonster, Rikku92, kuchiki-san

**Replies:** **Tenshi no Hana-chan** (Yay! I love Goong too! And when I read the synopsis, I was like, SasuSaku material! LOL! Well, you're right. Deviating from the plot was what I had in mind from the start? I mean, what good would it do if I write a story that I can watch in a Korean drama?) **mulalaver (**Yep, it's all part of the plan. Sakura-chwan's gonna get a makeover!) **Tsukiko no Yuki (**Wah! Well, I'm not watching a lot of Korean dramas right now. But I loved Full House, My Girl, Sassy Girl Chun-Hyang, Endless Love Series as well as many others out there!) **Noodle-lub-Yooh** (Ohoho! How did you know that there will be some Palace fluff?) **lazybluishgurl013** (Haha, not disappointed at all! Well, about your question, as I stated in the first chapter, I really did it patterned it with Goong or more commonly called Princess Hours here in the Philippines) **Pale Moonlit Nightsky** (Ooh! I hate Mary Sue Cinderallas! I do not want to be my Sakura to be like that!) **Suk-fong** (Like I said, Sakura is going to get a makeover. SOON.) **aya akkaime** (Naruto is the rightful heir. The fact that naruto likes Sakura but is engaged to the Crown Prince which should be him was my idea for the usually happy-go-lucky Naruto to have some angstiness for the next two chapters or so.)

Please review! Reviews are my chicken soups for the soul!

♥ ♥ ♥

However, the blonde-haired girl flinched at the sudden physical contact and slapped Sakura's hand away. "Don't touch me!"

"Ino…" Sakura muttered the name of her bestfriend desperately as she tried to once again approach her friend. But Ino had other plans and didn't even wait for Sakura to make her move, awkwardly making her exit without even saying a word.

"Crown Princess…" Shikamaru arrived on the scene. He watched as Sakura kneeled down and picked up her fallen books. Sighing, he knelt down beside her and helped her. "This is so troublesome, Crown Princess."

"Please, don't call me _that_." Sakura pleaded the young man, her face covered by her pink hair.

"I can't do that. Even if I am just the Prince's tutor, I am still working for the Palace." He said politely, but as he looked up above, he suddenly remembered something. "Ah, about Ino…

_**Next Chapter: The Cry of Broken Hearts**_

"If there was one person in the world whom I would want to believe that I don't want to be a princess, I want it to be Ino." Sakura whispered softly, barely loud enough for Shikamaru to hear. "But I guess that won't happen." Smiling gratefully, she took the books that the ponytail-haired young man picked up and strolled off.

Shikamaru watched her leave before sighing. "Gee. How troublesome."


End file.
